Scope of and Eligibility for the Scheme:
Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Government of India, have announced a scheme for giving legal and financial assistance to women who have been deserted by their overseas Indian spouses or are facing divorce proceedings in a foreign country subject to the following conditions:-
(i) The woman is an Indian passport holder.
(ii) The marriage of the woman has been solemnized in India.
(iii) The woman is deserted in India or after reaching abroad within five years of the marriage.
(iv) Divorce proceedings are initiated within five years of the marriage by her overseas Indian spouse.
(v) An ex-parte divorce has been obtained by the overseas Indian spouse within 10 years of marriage and a case for
maintenance and alimony is to be filed.
(vi) The scheme would not be available to a woman facing criminal charges or having a criminal case decided against
her.
(vii) The domicile of the woman seeking relief under the scheme is not relevant for allowing the benefit. The woman may be
domiciled in the country of her overseas Indian spouse or in India at the time of making the application.
(viii)Preference may be given to applicants on the basis of financial needs.
(ix) Assistance will be limited to meeting initial cost and incidental charges for documentation and filing of the case by the
Indian women’s organization/NGO on the woman’s behalf.
(x) The assistance will be limited to US $1500 per case and will be released to the Indian community organizations/NGO
concerned to enable it to take steps to assist the woman in documentation and preparatory work for filing the case.
(xi) The empanelled Association will make efforts to enlist community advocates, preferably women advocates, to extend
further legal assistance/ appearance in court etc on a pro-bono basis.
Consulate General of India, Chicago has empanelled the following NGO to handle cases of above nature in coordination with the Consulate General of India, Chicago. The decision of this Consulate will be final.
- APNA GHAR
4753 North Broadway,
Suite # 632
Chicago, IL-60640
Tel.1773-334-0173/Fax: 773-334-0963
Ms. Neha Gill,
Supervising Legal Advocate